Back to my troubles with Spring dressing. This morning it was overcast, mid-30s, and the majority of my day will be spent in a semi-warehouse feeling environment. Cold!
Fast forward to noon. It’s 68 degrees fahrenheit in the sun. I can’t wear that wool turtleneck that seemed so comfy and stylish at 8 am.
If I had checked, I would have seen that the high for today was predicted to be 61. Which leads to a good question: What’s your cut-off temperature for wool? I’m thinking 50ish.
I changed to heavy-weight cotton thermal v-neck. But I’m taking a jacket.
My husband always mentions the time we were out walking and it was 69 degrees. He had on shorts. I had on an Eddie Bauer down parka. He says my parka (or equivalent) doesn’t come off until it hits 70 degrees. I probably wear wool at least until 68 degrees. I wear lightweight thermal underwear, tops and bottoms, until at least the mid-60’s.
We have almost no spring here in the Delaware Valley. We had a bad ice storm here just yesterday. A few days before that it was almost 80. I’m thinking that the major difference in a spring wardrobe in many areas is the color – more of a psychological difference.
It depends on the garment. I think I’d have to move to Siberia to wear a wool turtleneck. But I’ll wear my wool A-line skirts to fifty or above. And of course DH wears wool trousers to work every day of the year.
I can’t do wool. If I do, even with the expensive, really soft feeling stuff, I itch so bad people would probably stay away from me for fear that I have a freakish disease. My skin is even more sensitive when I am pregnant. I didn’t realize that and wore this adorable wool sweater to a doctor’s appointment. The doctor lifted up my shirt to measure my stomach and I had this hideous rash. I got a lecture about not wearing wool again. (Duh.) So, I guess I can’t answer.
However, I totally know what you mean — I find myself wanting to change half way through the day, then back again after dinner! Dilemmas, dilemmas!
Sounds like you found a good compomise!
As always — it depends! I have a lightweight blush pink merino wool cardigan that sometimes gets pressed into service in summer air conditioning!
My heavier weight blazers become outerwear for awhile, and my lightweight wool pants can go edge into three seasons.
But the guideline I use is not the temperature outside, but whether or not I’m getting too hot …
Yeah, I think 59 and overcast is the max for wool. Spring here also entails bright sun, so even if the thermometer says 61 it could be really warm in the sun, and the car gets warm…
We’re enjoying 81 today in Sacramento, California! A little warm for me. 75 and slightly breezy is my ideal weather, which would be Los Angeles year-round. Which brings me to….. Go Bruins! We love March Madness!
Speaking of itchies, my mom says being too warm is what makes wool itch. (Of course some people have allergies or sensitive skin.) Maybe it’s the extra perspiration? So now I just stay away from wool turtles or overly heavy wool sweaters, and always wear a thin layer under the sweater, and I’m fine.
I don’t tend to wear wool, but I’ve wondered that same thing myself, especially since a lot of nice suits are wool. Maybe it’s the lining that makes certain wool items (like a jacket or skirt) wearable during warmer weather – as opposed to wool sweaters, etc?
I don’t really have a cutoff temp for wool as much as I have a cutoff month… as of March 1st, I stop wearing “Winter-y” fabrics such as wool. Even down here in the South we still get some cold spells in March, but I just add a cotton sweater that can be shed mid day.
do the same thing when transitioning from Summer to Fall… in October, I put up all my Spring, flowery stuff.
Don’t know how much sense that makes, it just helps me to have some rules for myself in place. I’m kind of OCD like that!
This topic was sticking in my mind and I reviewed some information I had downloaded written by Sandy Dumont, Image Architect. Don’t think it was from the website but from an article. Besides the obvious, she mentions beginning the transition by putting away collared woolen jackets/suits in favor of collarless. And then adding in collared, long-sleeved spring jackets/suits later.
Lightening up the winter look by subtracting the collar really makes sense to me.